This invention generally relates to lottery based games and contests. In particular it relates to an instant lottery game wherein a new technique is used for the representation and identification of the lottery numbers on the lottery tickets.
A wide spectrum of lotteries and similar contests exists in which participants are eligible to win prizes awarded at random on the basis of predetermined odds of winning. In conventional lottery games the participant either purchases, or in the case of promotional lotteries is given a lottery ticket which has a lottery number inscribed on it. The lottery number on each ticket is unique and serves to distinguish it from every other lottery ticket in the same lottery game. At a later date, a winning number is determined by a random chance selection from a set of numbers which matches exactly the set of lottery numbers in distribution. The winning number may also be determined in other manners as long as it is insured that accurate prediction of the winning number is highly improbable. In such conventional lotteries, the winning number is non-existent until the moment it is selected randomly or determined according to other criteria.
In these lottery games security is provided by generating the lottery numbers under computer control. Every lottery ticket in a given lottery game has a serial number associated with it which is printed on each ticket to identify the game, ticket lot and the individual ticket itself. The lottery number for a given ticket is generated by using a complex computer algorithm which provides a unique relationship between the serial number and the lottery number for a given ticket. Whenever a winning lottery ticket is presented for redemption, a computer can be used to reverse the computer algorithm used to generate the lottery number so that the interrelationship between the serial number and the lottery number of the presented ticket may be tested prior to payment of the prize.
In the case of instant lotteries, the winning lottery number is known before the ticket is sold, so that a participant can know within a short span of time after his purchase whether he has won or not. In such instant lotteries, the operator of the lottery game either selects or determines on some basis the winning lottery numbers or related indicia which are made known to participants prior to their purchase of tickets. However, the lottery number printed on the ticket is concealed, so that the purchaser may ascertain the lottery number only after the purchase has been consumated. The purchaser then exposes the concealed lottery number to view and this exposed lottery number is compared against a list of winning numbers in order to determine if a match exists entitling the ticket holder to a prize.
In such cases of instant lotteries wherein the winning numbers are known to the public when the ticket is purchased, extensive measures have to be taken in order to insure security. Some form of concealment needs to be provided for the individual lottery number imprinted on each ticket. Generally, this takes the form of an opaque covering such as paper that can be torn off to reveal the number, or a removable coating or metal foil that covers the number. Special printing inks, such as those that change under applied heat or special agents may also be used. This concealment feature of the ticket has to be augmented with external means which permit quick and easy exposure of the lottery number so that immediate comparision can be made between the ticket lottery number and the posted listing of winning numbers. In addition, the process which transforms the lottery number from its concealed state to an openly intelligible state must necessarily be irreversable so that the end user is unable to restore the ticket to its original condition without outward signs of alteration in order to preclude reuse or resale of a ticket. Various techniques for concealment or disguise of lottery numbers for use in instant lottery games are known in the art; all of them inherently require elaborate procedures in the design, printing and especially the concealment of the lottery number and constitute a signficant portion of the overall cost of the lottery ticket.
A general problem encountered with conventional instant lottery games is the high probability of fraud subsequent to purchase of tickets. In instant lotteries, winning tickets may be presented for payment concurrent with the continuing sale of additional lottery tickets for the same lottery game. Since instantaneous accounting for both sold and unsold tickets in the same lottery game is not possible, if a counterfeit ticket is presented for payment it becomes virtually impossible to ascertain whether or not the presented ticket was purchased upon valid sale by an authorized selling agent. The possibility that the authentic ticket bearing the same winning lottery number may be unsold or in the legitimate possession of another participant cannot be ruled out.
Another problem with instant lottery tickets is that, although the game number and serial number on a ticket are not permitted to be the same, there does exist a simple relationship between the serial number and the game number and it is possible for a person to determine the correlation between the serial number and the game number. This causes special concern regarding system security for an instant lottery game because the serial number is generally used to record ticket allocations to the various sales agents handling a particular lottery game. Thus, somebody possessing knowledge of the ticket distribution pattern may be able to locate the sales agent possessing the winning tickets if he is able to decipher the simple correlation between the serial numbers and the associated winning numbers, thereby raising the possibility of fraud on the lottery game operator and the public in collusion with the sales agent. Further, the participants themselves may be able to determine the fixed relationship between the unconcealed serial numbers and concealed lottery numbers after the purchase of several tickets and use this knowledge to either counterfeit a lottery ticket to include the winning lottery number or possibly to avoid further purchase of tickets which are not potential winners.
A variety of methods for printing lottery tickets, particularly those for instant lotteries, are conventionally known. Typically, a number of manual steps are involved in the printing procedure which increases the probability that someone involved with the process may be able to identify the ultimate destination of sale including the distribution pattern of winning tickets and increases the possibility of misuse and fraud.
An approach towards increasing the security for instant lottery tickets against counterfeiting and fraudulant alteration is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,376 issued to Goldman et al., where the lottery number is determined by a computer and is interrelated with the serial number by a highly complex security algorithm. The serial number and the lottery number are printed on the tickets by means of computer controlled high speed printers followed by the coloring of the lottery number to hide it from view; the computer process is used to insure that no lottery numbers occur in duplicate or are entirely omitted from a completed batch of game tickets.
Although the above system provides increased security for the lottery game, it still requires an elaborate technique, such as the lamination of a foil coating by the application of heat and pressure, for concealing the lottery numbers after they have been printed on the lottery tickets. Such a technique must provide for easy uncovering of the opaque coating from the lottery number and the uncovering process must also be ireversible.
Another major problem with conventional instant lottery games is that, for a given lottery game, once a complete set of lottery tickets with associated lottery numbers on them have been printed on the basis of predefined odds of winning, no changes in the overall odds of winning can be accommodated without drastic measures such as reprinting a new set of lottery tickets. This constitutes a serious restriction to the operator of the lottery game particularly if the lottery constitutes a part of sales promotion schemes associated with consumer oriented business such as a department store or a grocery store. For example, if a lottery game is being used as a promotional scheme by say, a department store, it might be desired that the odds of winning be significantly increased on particular days when a sale is in progress in order to attract increasing number of consumers for the duration of the sale. It becomes extremely difficult to handle such changes with the use of conventional instant lottery game systems.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a flexible instant lottery game system which is easier to operate and control, which does not require elaborate printing techniques for the lottery tickets, which provides reasonable control over the odds of winning and which also provides a high level of security against fraud and misuse.